F-16 fighter jet crashes outside Joint Base Andrews in Maryland

An F-16 fighter jet crashed in an unpopulated area near Joint Base Andrews (JBA) in Maryland Wednesday morning, authorities say.

The pilot ejected safely before the jet went down about six miles southwest of JBA, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports. The F-16 was from the 113th Wing of the D.C. National Guard based at JBA, and the pilot was flying on a training mission when he crashed.

The pilot sustained non-life-threatening injuries. An official says there are no reports of injuries on the ground. 

Mark Brady from the Prince George’s County Fire Department told CBS News that crews were en route to the scene but were maintaining a safe distance due to the possibility of the presence of hazardous materials.

“This is the wing that flies protected missions over D.C. all the time,” Brady told CBS affiliate WTOP. “There’s always a fighter jet on call and ready to move very quickly toward any attack against the D.C. area.”